Educational Requirements

Education is designed to give parents and children the opportunity to understand the impact of separation and divorce on children and to provide parents and children with techniques to minimize conflict.

The requirements for education vary based on the county where you reside. There may be minor costs associated with these requirements. Some counties also require separate courses for children and parents.

Education requirements for the counties is listed below. 
Anoka County
Carver County
Dakota County
Hennepin County
Ramsey County
Scott County
Washington County

There is also an online option:

ONLINE PARENTING CLASS

There are now Court approved online parenting classes for separating and divorcing families.

The courses have been adapted for online presentation from the nationally acclaimed Parents Forever program, a research-based program designed and tested by educators at the University of Minnesota, for parents going through divorce. It encourages parents to negotiate their divorce decisions without putting their children in the middle of their issues or forcing the children to choose one parent over the other.

The classes are convenient and inexpensive and are accessible to them 24 hours a day, 7 days per week.  Upon completion of the course and passing of the final examination, a certificate of completion is immediately e-mailed to the participant showing the course taken, the date of completion, participant's name, and their case/cause number.  This certificate can be printed out for submission to the Court if required.

The following courses are currently offered online, which meet the minimum standards for court mandated education requirements. Most jurisdictions require a minimum 4 hour class while others require 6 hours. The six hour requirement may be met by taking both the Impact of Divorce on Children and the Impact of Divorce on Adults:

Current Course Offerings:

Impact of Divorce on Children, 4 hours, Cost $39.00

Impact of Divorce on Adults, 2 hours, Cost $18.00

Both courses, 6 hours, Cost $50.00

For additional information, please visit the Parents Forever website at  www.familymattersus.com  or e-mail them at   info@familymattersus.com

COUNTIES

ANOKA COUNTY

At this time Anoka county does not have any educational program requirements for divorcing parents.

For more information you may call Anoka County at (763) 323-5939

CARVER COUNTY

Carver County has the following requirements:

Requirements for parents:

Parents in Carver county are required to attend an educational program only if custody/visitation are contested. Carver county sends information about the requirements after the case is filed.

Requirements for children:

There is no requirement for children to complete an educational program.

For more information you may call Carver County at (952) 361-1420

DAKOTA COUNTY

Dakota County has the following requirements:

Requirements for parents:

Parents in Dakota county are ordered to attend an educational program through Erickson Mediation.

Requirements for children:

There is no requirement for children to complete an educational program.

For more information you may call Dakota County at (651) 438-8110

HENNEPIN COUNTY

Hennepin county provides information regarding their educational requirements for parents and children on their website.

Requirements for divorcing parents who have reached an agreement regarding custody and visitation:

One of the following classes is required:

1. Hennepin County Education Video. This free class is held every Tuesday at 8:00 a.m. For more information or to register, parties should call the Family Court Assignment Office at (612) 348-6734.

2. Storefront Youth Action's Co-Parenting Program. For further information concerning registration call Storefront/Youth Action at (612) 861-1675.

3. Chrysalis Shared Parenting. For further information concerning registration contact Chrysalis at (612) 870-2479.

Requirements for divorcing parents who are unable to reach an agreement regarding custody and visitation:

Three classes are required. The first two classes listed below are mandatory and the third class can either be the Storefront Youth Action Co-Parenting program (noted above) or the Chrysalis Shared Parenting class (noted above):

1. Hennepin County Education Video with Mediation. This free class is held every other Tuesday at 8:00 a.m. For more information or to register, parties should call the Family Court Assignment Office at (612) 348-6734.

2. The LEAD (Legal and Economic Aspects of Divorce) Program. For further information concerning registration call Storefront/Youth Action at (612) 861-1675.

3. The third class must be either the Storefront Youth Action's CO-Parenting Program (612/ 861-1675), or the Chrysalis Shared Parenting program (612/ 870-2479).

Requirements for children:

Hennepin County requires that children between the ages of 6-17 must attend one of the following educational programs:

1. Chrysalis Sandcastles Program. For further information concerning registration contact Chrysalis at (612) 870-2479.

2. Storefront Youth Action's Co-Kids Program. For further information concerning registration call Storefront/Youth Action at (612) 861-1675.

For more information you may contact Hennepin County at (612) 348-6734.

RAMSEY COUNTY

Ramsey County has the following requirements:

Requirements for parents:

Parents in Ramsey county are required to attend an educational program only if custody/visitation are contested.

Requirements for children:

For more information you may contact Ramsey County at (651) 266-2842.

SCOTT COUNTY

Scott County has the following requirements:

Requirements for parents:

When custody/visitation are contested parents are required to attend a parent education program. Scott County sends out information regarding the Parents Forever program (952/442-4496).

Requirements for children:

There is no requirement for children to complete an educational program.

For more information you may contact Scott County at (952) 496-8200.

WASHINGTON COUNTY

Washington County has the following requirements:

Requirements for parents:

All divorcing parents, even if they have agreed on custody/visitation issues, are required to attend an educational program. Information regarding the program requirements is sent out after the case is filed.

Requirements for children:

There are currently no educational requirements for children but the county is working on implementing a program requirement for children.

For more information you may contact Washington County at (651) 430-6266.